Theater



(No Model.)

F. D. REINAU.

v THEATER APPLIANCE.- No. 495,205; Patented Apr.'11, 1893.

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In] F1 II- UNITED ST TES PATENT OFFIC FRANK. D. REINAU, on NEW YORK, N.Y.

THEATER APPLIANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 495,205, dated April 11, 1893.

Application filed May 27, 1892.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK. D. REINAU, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and usefulImprovements in Theater Appliances, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to a theater appliance which is adapted to carryinto effect in a theater and produce as a stage effect therein, a sheetof water containing additional de-' vices whereby various catastrophescan be simulated as will be described.

In carrying my invention into effect, I employ a canvas tank and providea centrally located pocket therein. In this pocket I arrange a falsebottom or trap which can be raised or lowered as desired withoutpermitting leakages of the water,which contrivance I utilize to producethe various stage eifects which it is the object of my invention toaccomplish.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which form a part of thisspecification :Figure I represents a vertical section of one form ofmechanism for carrying my invention into effect. Fig. II is a plan viewof the same.

In the drawings, Arepresents a canvas tank suitably treated with linseedoil to render it waterproof. I contemplate making this tank about fortyfeet long by twenty feet wide and ten inches deep. The surface of thewater is shown by the line a-a as approximately at a level with the lineof the stage A.

At B I showa pocket preferably cetrallylocated as regards the tank A.This pocket I make about twenty feet long by seven feet wide and sixfeet deep. The pocket is arranged within and extends down into a trap atthe back of the stage, and in the bottom of the pocket, I provide anopening to which a hose can be attached by means of which the water canbe drawn off. Inside of the pocket and forming a part of the bottom ofthe tank is a sinkable platform D. This platform is mounted upon andsupported byfour screws or pillars F one pillar being arranged at eachcorner and terminating at their upper ends in smooth cylinders which arearranged to feed in sockets E fastened at each cornerof the bottom ofthe platform D. The screw supports or pil- Serial No. 434,683. onmodel.)

lars F extend through the bottom 0 of the pocket B and also through theplatform or stationarybedplateG. Thisbed plateorplatform is fixedlysecured on supporting devices gand the pocket B being formed of flexiblematerial will rest thereon and be supported thereby. By this means theweight of the water will be largely taken off the flexible pocket B andwill be borne by the permanent. platform G.

The pocket B is provided with boots or collapsible sections 19 whichextend between the platform D and the bottom of pocket 0 and surroundthe screw supports or pillars F so that as the platform D moves up anddown as hereinafter described, the water will be prevented from havingaccess to the screw supports and by means of the collapsible sections ofthe pocket, leakages will be prevented. When the platform moves down,the collapsible portions will simply fold up on each other and when theplatform D is raised again, they will be stretched out and assume theirnormal position as shown in Fig. I.

The platform G rests through the intermediate support 9 upon the mainplatform H, the

latter being fixedly secured and supported upon pillars H. Thescrew-supports F extend through the platform H and are provided at theirlower ends with nuts K, the outer periphery of the nuts having toothedgearing meshing into and adapted to be rotated by a toothed wheel J.This toothed wheel J is supported by and hung from the platform H and isof a diameter'sufficient to extend between and connect with the gearwheels K, one at each corner of the machine so that as the wheel J isrotated, the gear wheels K will receive a rotary motion therefrom. Thegear wheels K have central'openings screw threaded through which thescrew pillars F extend, the latter being screw threaded also, and thetwo parts being adapted to work after the manner of a worm screw orgearing so that when the gear wheels K are rotated, they will feed thescrew supports]? up or down according to whether they are turned to theright or to the left. The gear wheels K have smooth conical surfaceswhich turn in sockets L which latter form heads for the supportingcolumns L. It will be seen by rotating the toothed wheel J the four nutsK will likewise be rotated thereby moving the screw pillars up or downand with the pillars, the platform D, the collapsible pocket b, bco-operating therewith in the manner hereinbefore explained.

Wooden rings 1) are provided upon the boot to protect the collapsiblepocket from contact with the screw pillars F. The plat? form D may bepadded as shown at d to deaden any sound and is provided withperforations g to facilitate the passage of water therethrough whilesinking or rising.

The device which I have shown and described may be utilized in any oneof the following ways: When in position as shown in Fig. I, the water isat the proper height as indicated by the drawings, and any object orobjects assembled or situated upon the platform D can be made togradually sink within the tank by the lowering of the supportingplatform D. In this way people, horses, dogs or animals of any kind,ships, boats, houses, trees, wagons or painted and set scenes or anyother inanimate objects may be arranged to be lowered in the water bymeans of the movable platform as described. By this meansI can simulateany of the following scenes: I may depict a quicksand utilizing thesinking platform to carry the idea into realistic eifect and may employin connection therewith any of the objects hereinbefore mentioned.Likewise I may depict one or more ships with orvolved. I may also dividethe platform D into sections and raise or lower each section separatelyby separatem echanical appliances producing a variety of elfectsthereby.

Having thus described my invention, the following is WhatI claim as newtherein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

A theater appliance forproducing the effect of sinking orraising of anobject in the water so as to simulate a quicksand, shipwreck orinundation, and consisting of a tank A having a pocket B, platform Dsupported by pillars F,

collapsible sections 1) and means for raising and lowering the platformD through the medium of pillars F, substantially as shown and described.

FRANK. D. REINAU.

Witnesses:

HERBERT KNIGHT, HARRY E KNIGHT.

